Clutch mechanism



Nov. 2.4, 1925.

Original Filed Aug. 8, 1921 m /z Z m 53 l Q 4 z. 7 2 z 2 llllrl wf retained Nw. ze, rees.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFQE.

HOWARD W. HUNT AND FOB/REST CARDULLO, 0F CNCNNAT, OHIO, ASSXGNQRS TO THE G. A. GRAY COMPANY, OF CNCINNATI, OI-IO, A CORPORATION OF DHH).

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

Original application filed August 8, 1921, Serial No. 490,453. Divided and this application iled March 12, 1924, Serial No. 698.705.

To nl?. volio/n. 'it mojz/ concern.'

Be 1t known that we, HOWARD 7. HUNT and Fonnns'r E. CAnnULLo, citizens ofthel This invention relates to an improvement' in clutches of the toothed type, in vwhich a movable clutch member is slid between two transmitting' clutch members with which it is adapted to be alternately connected.

An advantage of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient clutch for alter nately connecting two driving` members to a driven member, the clutch being slid or translated from a first position to a second b v a rotatablemember concentric with the clutch members and hav-ing` one end in the form of a cam. The mechanism is adapted to permit the return movement to be accomplished automatically. Y Y

` Other features and advantages of the invention will be more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings forming' a part of this specification, in which:

Figure lis a central longitudinal section through the 'clutch mechanism, clutch controlling;mechanism and gearing, the clutch mechanisn'i and gearing being concentric with a screw.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the' clutch mechanism `and clutch gearing. Y

in the mechanism illustrated, the clutches are employed to rotate a nut engaging a screw'7 for the purpose of translating` a tool hold ing side head of a'planer. In the particular structure shown, the invention is divisional from a prior apifilication tiled by ns August Sthyitll, Serial Number 90,4523, :tor transmission meehanism for inacliiine tools.

'Referring to the drawings, 1 is a stationary scii'ew supported in bracket- 2 in such a marmer as to prevent the rotation of Vthe screw, bracket 2 being' fixed to the iframe of the machine of 'which the mechanism is part. This screw extends `tlnfoijlgh a 'asting' 3 which forms a frame adapted to support vthe mechanism to' bedescribed, and which is attached securely to the toolhead or other part which isl to be moved nponthe frame of the machine. On-ly those parts of'frame 53 are shown which are necessary to an understanding of the mechanism.

Upon the screw 1 is mounted tubular nutl, in frame 3. The end thrusts of nut 4iare taken. by antifriction bearings 6 and 7, and the nut secured against endwise movement in the frame by lock nuts 5, Fastened securely to nut 4: is sleeve 8, which is attached by screw 9. Upon this sleeve, and concentric therewith, is gear 10, which may rotate freely upon the sleeve, but which is normally restrained from axial movement by a shoulder formed on the sleeve and washer 11. Tasher 11 is forced against a second shoulder formed on sleeve 8, by spring` l2, the other end of which abuts against collar 13 which is fast between the end of sleeve 8 and the face of thrust bearing 7. The distance between the two shoulders formed Aon sleeve S, and the length of the bearing portionl of gear 10, are such that the gear can turn "freely ontheA sleeve without being bound by the pressure of washer 11. Meshing with gear is asecond gear 12 which is slidably keyed to shaft 1G which is journaled in frame 3 and driven by a suitable source of power.

Uponnutd are formed one or .more splines or keys' 18, which engage 4corresponding grooves or keyways cut in the interior surface of clutch`17 which is concentric with mit n and slidable with relation thereto, but which is compelled" bythesekeys to vrotate. with the nutl,- Clutch 17 is connterbored at its lower end to forma recess to contain helical springv 19, which is coaxial with 'nut 4l and clutch 17. One end of spring 19 abuts against sleeve 8, while the other end abuis against the lower ends of the splines cut ou nut it and the upper end of the counterboro in clutch 17 in which the spring is recessed. This spring' serves to hold clutch r17 in such a position lthat lthe end of the. coimterboire is `normally flush. with the end of the splines.

Loosely concentric with nut it and screw 1 is bevel gear 23, driven by-a suitable source of power, which may be different from the source of powerdriving shaftl. vGreer 2?. has clutch teeth 22 at its lower end and turns freely in bushing 2d which is held securely to fra-me 3 by screwpassing through ear 25 formed on the bushing. At the lower end of the bushing` 2st is a double helicoidal cam 2.7. This cam engages a complementary cani 28 formed on clutch Yshitting sleeve 29, which is concentric with and freely rotatable upon clutch 17. As may be seen from Figure 2, where one halfthe circumference 'of bushing 24 and sleeve 2 9-are illustrated, .rotation o1 clutch shifting sleeve 29 in either direction causes it to move axially downward with a screw like motion. The part of the cam n ot shown is .exactly similar lto the part illustrated, the purpose of the secondWhalittbeing to balance the axial components of the cam forces. Coaxial with and securely fastened to sleeve 29 is sector 30 inthe form of a collar havinggear `teeth 31'by means ol which sector .BO and Ysleeve l2971111151 'be rov tated. Theflower vend oli" sleeve 29 abuts against a shoulder formed on clutch 17, so that ywhen sleeve 29 is rot-ated, clutch 17 is moved axially in a downward direction, withdrawing' teeth 21 formedon lits yupper end from Aengagement with teeth I22 formed on the'lower end of gear 23, compressing spring 19andiina'lly bringing teeth 20 formed on the lower-.end of lclutch '17 into ,engagementA with .teeth 14 formed yon the upper end yot gear 110.

Teeth 31 .formedon sector `r30 engage with beeth32formed .on sector 38 which is freely rotatable uponshaflt 34. Projecting from the Ihub or sector 33 afrelugs `to which is pinned lever 36. `lhe outerend oit' lever 36, which :is shown'broken ofi', has'a 'handle by means oi'I which it maybe moved. The inner end Vprojects into the recess '37 formed .in sector i between :the -:lugs mentioned above. It, however, the handle olf lever '36 is raised until Llever-"36 occupies lthe position shown in dotted lines, the inner end of lever 3G. will enga-ge a -slot formed in :the -upper snr-tace of collar slida'bly keyed to sha't't Consequently if lever '36 fis in ythe position shownhylthe full lines, fsha'ftl34 and collar 3:3 may turn'lireel'y withoutinterfering with v'leveror-sector33-* fIi, however, the lever is moved `by fhand to thel position shown by the dotted lines it newengages/the slot in collar 35, `and -a mov-ement of the llover about shaft 34 asa center, will rotate sector colla-r 85 and shaft34. Simultaneously iteeth 32 will cause the rotation yin the opposite direction of'sector '30 which is fastened -to clutch shitting cani 29 and the rotation ot the oamined yliaces will canse the endwise niovei'nent of clutch shitting: vcani 29 and.

clutch member :17.

to permit Ythis inoven'ient without disengfago nient o'fltlie lnears. Also-as clutch n'ieinber 17 slides in a downward direction. clutch ,teeth 21 nbecome Acli-sendaeyed from clutch teeth i22 so that the clutch meinlgier 17 and nut 4'sp`lf1ned thereto are no longer driven by gear 23. Frnther nimfement of the hand lc- 36and sleeve 29, ycause clutch teeth 20 to engage clutch teeth 14 so that clutch member 17 and nut 4 splined thereto are .then'driven from shaft 16 through gears vl5 and 10. Should the yteeth 2O not enter the corresponding spaces between the teeth 14, -`gear 10 will be forced downward against spring 12 until clutch member 17 has coin- 'p'leted l'its liin ll movement o'l' .transl-ation. s soon, however, as power from sl ait't 16 has rotated gear sulicientby so that the space betweenl its teeth are lopposite teeth 20, spring 12 willflorce.teeth 14 into engage nient with Lteeth 20, restoringgear 'l0 to the position shown in .Figure 1.

Then nut l has been rotated suliciently by power 'from shaft 16 and it is again dcsired Ato er ve it vtroni gear 28, handle 36 is restored to the initial position so that the cam faces of sleeve 29 and 'bushing 24 are intherelative position shown in Figure 2; This permits springl 1f) to forceclutch member 17, sleeve 29, and sector '30 into the position shown in Figure 1, thus permitting teeth "21 to rfc-engage with fteeth 22. In case the `teeth ot Zone member .do not ent-er the spaces between the teeth of the other member, spring 19 will maintain `the cnds oi" the teeth in contact 4until' gear 23 is rotated suliiciently so that `vthe spaces oiI one linemher will he opposite the teeth ot the other member, when spring-.19 will Lconiplete fthe axial movement, causing the engagement of the teeth. The purpose oitfthe rotation oi rod 34 is to-controlflnv sonie suitable mechanism not shownand which doesnot form a :part oit' this invention, the motion oif'shatt 1G. The invention permits the rotation of shaft B4 by other l*means@than collar 35 `and handle 3G. -for the purpose of controlling; the vmotion ot shaftv 1G when it is desired to supplyV power tronitl-iis shaft yto :actua-te similar k'oranalog'ous mechanisms,v without causingl the de- -clntching ot' the nut lfroin ,etear 23 and its engagement with gear 10. '.Shatt 1G min,7 aclt to supply power to ainiaratus diii'erent in structure from the apparatus shown hut similar .in gen-eral purpose, vas 'for instance, 'that disclosed in the application F1-oni which -this was divided. D

The mechanism disclosedprovides a coni- 'pact structure adapted to andvelticient tor use in con-trolling` the 'feed niecluniisn: and rapid traverse mechanism of machine tools,

ltlfavingdescribed our invention, we claiin z 1. In a nieol'ianisni oi the class describml. a Supporting `traine` meansadapted hv rotation to yniovvethe supportine traine. a movable clutch member concentric therewith and slidably keyed thereto, a first clutch. a sccond clutch. and a clutch shiftinfr member Aconcentric Jwith the movable clutch member and adapted by Vpartial rotation to shift the 4iinwable clutch member axialla7 from engagelll? ment with the ,tiret clutch into engagemcn t with the Second clutch.

2. ln a mechaniam ot the class described, a tired Screw, a mit rotatable on Said Screw, a movable clutch member concentric therewith and elidably leyed to Said nut, a tiret clutch, a second clutch, and a clutch Shit .ing member concentric with said movable clutch member and adapted by partial rotation to ehitt it ont 0'1": engagement with thc lirst clutch and into engagement with the Second clutch.

3. In a mechanism ot the claee described, a .fixed screw, a power ehatt parallel therewith, a gear sli'dably keyed to the power Shaft, a clutch gear meshing with the slidably keyed gear and concentric with the lined Screw, a mit rotatable on the liXed eci-ew, a movable clutch member concentric with and slidabhv keyed to the nut, a second clutch gear drivable by independent power, and a` clutch shitting member concentric with the movable clutch member and adapted by partial rotation to shift it ont ot engagement with the Second clutch gear and into engagement with the tiret clutch gear.

Ll. In a mechanism oit the clase described, a eupporting trame, means adapted by ro# tation to move the Supporting Yframe, a movable clutch member concentric therewith and slidahly keyed thereto, a liXed member' havin g cammed facce, a rotatable clutch shifting member concentric with the movable clutch member, provided with cammed faces adapted to cooperate with the corresponding cammed 'faces on the lined member, a lirst clutch jonrnaled .in the fixed member having ammed faces, a second clutch, a tiret spring ,ear

normally nmintained in partial. compression ttor forcing the movable clutch member into engagement; with the tiret clutch, a Second Spring norn'ially maintained in partial compression and tending to maintain the second clntch in lined axial position, and means for manually rotating the clutch shifting member.

5. ln a mechanism of the class described, a driven member, transmieeion members concentric upon eaid driven member, a clutch member upon said driven member, rotative ly fixed thereto and slidable axially thereof, Said member being disposed between said transmission members for alternate engagement therewith, and a clutch shifting member concentric with said clutch member and in engagement therewith tor Sliding the same, said shitting member having a cam 'faced end 'for moving the shifter member longitudinally with a rotative movement thereof.

6. 1n a mechanism ot the class described, a shaft, a pair of gears loose on said Shaft, a sliding clutch member splined on lsaid Shactt, between said gears, for alternate connection therewith, and yieldingly urged in a direction to engage with one of said gears, a rotatable clutch Shifting member loosely concentrically mounted upon Said clutch member in engagement therewith ttor longitudinal movement therewith, said shitting member having means tor moving the same longitudinally with the rotation thereof.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names.

HOVARD WT. HUNT. FORREST E. CRDULLO. 

